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2004 Audio Library

Browse news stories produced by Chicago Public Radio correspondents. For news stories from other years, please visit our 2005, 2003, 2002, 2001, or 2000 Audio Libraries.

 

Election Coverage Audio

For stories from our election coverage, please visit our 2004, 2003, or 2002 Election Coverage pages.



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Listen to Audio Area Residents Eager to Help Tsunami Victims
December 30, 2004

Chicago Public Radio's Melba Lara speaks with Jatinder Singh Bedi, executive editor of the Chicago-based Indian Reporter and World News. Bedi is helping coordinate relief efforts and memorial services across the Chicago area.

Tsunami Relief Information
Consulate General of India, Chicago Catholic Relief Services
The Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago Sri Venkateswara Temple of Greater Chicago
Church World Service Royal Thai Consulate-General
Lutheran World Relief American Red Cross
UNICEF
CARE
World Vision International  
   
Listen to Audio Chicago-Area Tsunami Relief Efforts
December 29, 2004
As the death toll mounts in South and Southeast Asia, several Chicago-area groups say they're continuing to coordinate relief efforts.
   
Listen to Audio Update on 2004 Stories: Chicago Rape Kit Backlog
December 29, 2004

At this time last year, about 1200 samples of DNA evidence from rape victims sat untested in state police labs. So a group of Chicago women said they were going to raise money to have the kits tested privately. Chicago Public Radio's Catrin Einhorn checks in with the group's founder about how the project is going.
   
Listen to Audio Update on 2004 Stories: Morton Grove Mosque Controversy
December 28, 2004

Hopes of building a controversial mosque in northwest suburban Morton Grove have improved this year. As part of our series of updates on 2004 stories, Chicago Public Radio's Jason DeRose reports.
   
Listen to Audio Update on 2004 Stories: Cook County Jail Inmate Abuse
December 27, 2004

After more than four months, the Cook County Board still hasn't discussed a grand jury report detailing evidence of inmate abuse at the County jail. The report also suggests a cover-up by Sheriff Michael Sheahan's office and calls for extensive reforms. Chicago Public Radio's Ben Calhoun has more.
   
Listen to Audio Adoptees Push DCFS for Sibling Visitation
December 24, 2004

When brothers and sisters in Illinois are split up in the adoption process, there's no law requiring that they be able to visit one another. Some adoptees and their siblings are pushing the DCFS and Illinois lawmakers to change this. Linda Paul reports.
   
Listen to Audio Update on 2004 Stories: New Owner for the Chicago Theatre
December 23, 2004

Formerly based in New York, Theatre Dreams officially took over downtown's historic Chicago Theatre in April. Chicago Public Radio's Tony Sarabia kicks off our series of updates on 2004 stories by examining how the past year has unfolded for the Theatre.
   
Listen to Audio

Chicago Police Address Mental Illness
December 22, 2004

The Chicago Police Department says an increase in the number of calls involving people who may be mentally ill has resulted in more injuries on the force. It's also contributed to a surge in the number of mentally ill inmates. As Chicago Public Radio's Jay Field reports, the CPD is changing its approach to these cases.

   
Listen to Audio Yushenko Support Strong in Chicago
December 20, 2004

Chicago is home to more than 130,000 people of Ukrainian descent, and those who aren't U.S. citizens are eligible to vote in the December 26, 2004, repeat presidential election between Victor Yanukovych and opposition candidate Victor Yushenko. Chicago Public Radio's Diantha Parker reports.
   
Listen to Audio
  Original excavation of Kish, circa 1930.
  Original excavation of Kish, circa 1930.
“Recovering Iraq's Past”
December 17, 2004

As part of a National Endowment for the Humanities initiative, the University of Chicago's Oriental Institute and the Field Museum are scanning images of their collections into computers to make them accessible to scholars and others around the world. Chicago Public Radio's Jason DeRose reports.

See more of these images in our slideshow >>

Related Links
National Endowment for the Humanities—“Recovering Iraq's Past”
Oriental Institute—Diyala Project
   
Listen to Audio CPS Faces Integration Deadline
December 16, 2004

A federal judge has ordered the Chicago Public Schools to offer some African American and Latino students the chance to switch to predominantly white schools by December 17, 2004. Chicago Public Radio's Jay Field has more.
   
Listen to Audio Chicago City Council Passes Budget
December 16, 2004

Despite a handful of dissenting aldermen, the Council approved Mayor Richard Daley's $5.1 billion budget for 2005. The plan includes more than $80 million in new taxes and fees and also millions in new spending. Chicago Public Radio's Carlos Hernandez Gomez has more.
   
Listen to Audio Illinois Law Targets Methamphetamine Producers
December 14, 2004

Attorney general Lisa Madigan talks with Chicago Public Radio's Lisa Labuz about a law limiting access to certain cold medications that have been purchased in bulk by producers of illegal drugs. It goes into effect January 1, 2005.
   
Listen to Audio Holiday Letter Project
December 13, 2004

Chicago Public Radio's Jason DeRose talks with the founder of the Rainbow Families Holiday Letter Project, which is encouraging people to use their holiday cards and letters to help campaign for same-sex marriage rights.

Related Link
Rainbow Families
   
Listen to Audio The New Pacific Garden Mission
December 9, 2004

Renowned Chicago architect Stanley Tigerman has reimagined the Pacific Garden Mission, which is moving from its decades-long home in Chicago's South Loop to make room for the expansion of Jones College Preparatory High School.
   
Listen to Audio Daley Praises Fire Department
December 7, 2004

Mayor Richard Daley is praising the Chicago Fire Department's response to the blaze at LaSalle Bank's high-rise headquarters in the Loop. It was a major test for the Department after the October 2003 fire at the Cook County Administration Building. Chicago Public Radio's Jay Field reports.
   
Listen to Audio South Suburban Airport Threatens Area Farms
December 6, 2004

As Illinois officials continue moving forward with a proposed airport near Peotone, Chicago Public Radio's Catrin Einhorn visits one farmer who's being asked to leave the land his family has worked for three generations.
   
Listen to Audio Naval Academy Proposed for Senn High School
November 29, 2004

Teachers and parents are locking heads with Chicago Public Schools officials over the proposed military academy...and over the very future of this struggling high school in the city's diverse Edgewater neighborhood. Chicago Public Radio's Jay Field reports.
   
Listen to Audio A New Generation of Veterans, Part Three
November 24, 2004

Adam Ibrahim lives in southwest suburban Summit, Illinois. He signed up for the National Guard when he was 17 years old, and his unit returned home in July 2004 after nearly a year-and-a-half in Iraq.

This is the last in a series of three accounts we're presenting from young people who've returned from military duty in Iraq. This segment was produced by Chicago Public Radio's Ben Calhoun.
   
Listen to Audio A New Generation of Veterans, Part Two
November 23, 2004

Aaron Vogel is from northwest suburban Barrington, Illinois. He joined the Army Reserve in January 2000, during his second year of college.

This is the second in a series of three accounts we're presenting from young people who've returned from military duty in Iraq. This segment was produced by Chicago Public Radio's Catrin Einhorn.

Listen to Audio Related Audio
Originally broadcast December 23, 2003, on Eight Forty-Eight
Chicago Public Radio's Steve Edwards talks with Aaron Vogel and his father, Paul Vogel
   
Listen to Audio
  Illinois National Guard military police officer Julia Krupiczowicz.
A New Generation of Veterans, Part One
November 22, 2004

Julia Krupiczowicz came home in July 2004 after being wounded by a homemade dirty bomb thrown at her Humvee. A 21-year-old specialist in the Illinois National Guard, she's been a military police officer for almost four years.

This is the first in a series of three accounts we're presenting from young people who've returned from military duty in Iraq. This segment was produced by Chicago Public Radio's Diantha Parker.
   
Listen to Audio
  Woman reclining and reading a book.
  Woman reclining and reading a book.
Twenty-Five Years of Feminist Literature
November 19, 2004

As the Chicago bookstore Women and Children First celebrates its 25th anniversary, Chicago Public Radio's Jason DeRose has this look at the women who founded the store and some women whose lives the shop has changed. 
   
Listen to Audio What Chicago Might Learn from Montreal
November 17, 2004

As Mayor Richard Daley continues pushing for legislation that would allow the City of Chicago to own a land-based casino, Chicago Public Radio's Tony Sarabia travels to Montreal to see what its experience owning a gaming facility might teach Chicago.
   
Listen to Audio Renaissance 2010 School Proposals
November 12, 2004

As people wanting to open new schools under the Chicago Public Schools Renaissance 2010 reform plan put the finishing touches on their proposals, some community groups are getting ready to weigh in on the blueprints. Chicago Public Radio's Jay Field reports.
   
Listen to Audio 2004 Election Coverage: The Religious Left
November 12, 2004

Pundits say the outcome of the 2004 U.S. presidential election was a triumph for the religious right. And now the religious left is looking to bolster its own political influence. Chicago Public Radio's Jason DeRose has more.
   
Listen to Audio City of Chicago Budget
November 10, 2004

Because of several scandals that have tainted his administration, Mayor Richard Daley's 2005 budget proposal may receive greater scrutiny than in previous years. Chicago Public Radio's Carlos Hernandez Gomez reports.
   
Listen to Audio
  Barack Obama prepares to speak at the 2004 Democratic National Convention in Boston. Photo by David Katz.
  Barack Obama prepares to speak at the 2004 Democratic National Convention in Boston. Photo by David Katz.
2004 Election Coverage:
Obama's Photographer

November 8, 2004

Illinois U.S. senator-elect Barack Obama's rise to national prominence has been bolstered in part by the photographs gracing his Web site. And the snapshots have their own backstory. Chicago Public Radio's Diantha Parker reports.

Related Link
Obama for Illinois Photo Gallery
   
Listen to Audio Progressive Catholics
November 4, 2004

“Sex, Science, and the Sacred” is the theme of a meeting of progressive Catholics being held in Milwaukee. The 30-year-old group Call to Action is bringing together reform-minded Catholics to discuss ways to change the church they love. Chicago Public Radio's Jason DeRose reports.
   
Listen to Audio 2004 Election Coverage: Looking Ahead—Obama, Illinois GOP
November 3, 2004

Chicago Public Radio's Carlos Hernandez Gomez examines the U.S. senate race in Illinois, taking a look at implications for both the winner, Democrat Barack Obama, and the Illinois Republican Party, whose candidate suffered a lopsided loss.
   
Listen to Audio 2004 Election Coverage: Bean Defeats Crane
November 3, 2004

In Illinois's eighth Congressional district in the far northwest suburbs, Democrat Melissa Bean defeated longtime Republican incumbent Phil Crane. Chicago Public Radio's Steve Shadley reports.
   
Listen to Audio 2004 Election Coverage: Obama's Night Out
November 3, 2004

After winning the race for Illinois's open U.S. senate seat, Barack Obama celebrated at a downtown Chicago hotel with supporters and with some of the state's most powerful Democrats. Chicago Public Radio's Jay Field has the story.
   
Listen to Audio 2004 Election Coverage: Volunteer Phone Banks
November 1, 2004

Some Illinois residents have been using their free long distance cell phone minutes to help get out the vote in battleground states. Chicago Public Radio's Diantha Parker takes us to one such phone bank that's targeting registered voters in Iowa.
   
Listen to Audio 2004 Election Coverage: Crane vs. Bean
October 28, 2004

In the last days before the election, Republican Congressman Phil Crane and Democratic challenger Melissa Bean are waging an increasingly negative fight in Illinois's eighth district. Chicago Public Radio's Jay Field has more.
   
Listen to Audio 2004 Election Coverage: Young Poll Watchers
October 27, 2004

With its I Am the Government project, the League of Women Voters of Chicago is trying to motivate 18-to-25-year-olds into greater civic participation. And as part of that initiative, the League has been training young Chicago voters to be poll watchers. Chicago Public Radio's Tony Sarabia reports.
   
Listen to Audio 2004 Election Coverage: Illinois Jobs and Economy
October 25, 2004

Illinois continues to suffer from a higher unemployment rate than the nation as a whole. So what do U.S. senate candidates Alan Keyes and Barack Obama say they'll do to put people back to work and stimulate growth? Chicago Public Radio's Jay Field reports.
   
Listen to Audio 2004 Election Coverage: Religion and Politics
October 22, 2004

Chicago Public Radio's Jason DeRose examines the role faith and personal values are playing in the Illinois U.S. senate race between Republican Alan Keyes and Democrat Barack Obama.
   
Listen to Audio 2004 Election Coverage: Bronzeville Tax Referendum
October 21, 2004

A non-binding referendum question in Chicago's Bronzeville asks voters if they would support a local property tax hike to benefit affordable housing programs in the mid-South Side neighborhood. Chicago Public Radio's Steve Shadley reports.
   
Listen to Audio 2004 Election Coverage: Alan Keyes Profile
October 20, 2004

After their original U.S. senate candidate resigned amid a sex scandal, Illinois Republicans recruited a replacement from out-of-state: Maryland conservative Alan Keyes. Chicago Public Radio's Carlos Hernandez Gomez reports.
   
Listen to Audio 2004 Election Coverage: Barack Obama Profile
October 20, 2004

During his campaign for Illinois's open U.S. senate seat, Democrat Barack Obama has risen to national prominence. Chicago Public Radio's Jay Field takes a look at Obama's political celebrity and the challenges it may present if he wins the election.
   
Listen to Audio 2004 Election Coverage: Illinois Residents Struggle for Health Care
October 18, 2004

When voters list their concerns for the November 2 election, health care usually tops the list. That's true in Illinois as well. Chicago Public Radio's Tony Sarabia reports on some Illinois residents who struggle to survive with limited medical coverage or with none at all.
   
Listen to Audio Radio Islam
October 15, 2004

Chicago is home to the first American English language program about Islam. The hour-long news and talk show, Radio Islam, airs nightly on 1450 AM. Chicago Public Radio's Jason DeRose has more.
   
Listen to Audio One-Year Anniversary of Deadly Loop Fire
October 15, 2004

The October 2003 blaze at the Cook County Administration Building killed six and prompted an outcry to make the city's high-rises safer. State's attorney Richard Devine made it out of the fire, and he remains one of the most insistent voices for change. Chicago Public Radio's Diantha Parker reports.
   
Listen to Audio Cook County Jail Inmate Abuse
October 14, 2004

A grand jury report suggests that top officials in Sheriff Michael Sheahan's office covered up serious inmate abuse. Chicago Public Radio's Ben Calhoun examines the culture and conditions at the jail that create safety issues for both prisoners and guards.
   
Listen to Audio 2004 Election Coverage: South Suburban Secession Referendum
October 13, 2004

A ballot referendum in 55 south suburban counties asks voters whether or not their communities should secede from Cook County to form the new Lincoln County, Illinois. Chicago Public Radio's Steve Shadley has the story.
   
Listen to Audio Some Charter School Teachers Face Tough Challenge
October 8, 2004

Proponents say charter schools attract better teachers and provide more freedom to experiment in the classroom. But even the most committed, energetic teachers can find the charter school environment quite challenging. Chicago Public Radio's Jay Field reports.
   
Listen to Audio 2004 Election Coverage: Muslim American Voter Drive
October 5, 2004

Nationwide, leaders say Muslim Americans have been registering to vote in unprecedented numbers. And in the Chicago area, grassroots groups have been waging energetic voter drives at mosques, community centers, and taxi stands. Chicago Public Radio's Lynette Kalsnes has more.
   
Listen to Audio 2004 Election Coverage: Foreign Policy a Factor in Illinois Senate Race
October 4, 2004

Homeland security, terrorism, and other foreign policy issues aren't just concerns for the presidential candidates. They're also at play in Illinois's U.S. senate race. Chicago Public Radio's Diantha Parker reports.
   
link to audio 2004 Election Coverage: Getting Out the Youth Vote
9.30.04
Young Illinoisans Beth Janicek and David Lobl went to New York City during the Republican National Convention...for very different reasons. Now that they're back home, they're using what they learned to help get out the youth vote. Chicago Public Radio's Jenny Lawton reports.
link to audio 2004 Election Coverage: Illinois Voters Paying Close Attention to Education
9.27.04
In the race for Illinois's open U.S. senate seat, the two major-party candidates have articulated very different positions on education issues. Chicago Public Radio's Jay Field spoke with voters about what they want to hear from the candidates.
link to audio Poshard to Head Illinois Health Facilities Planning Board
9.23.04
Former Illinois congressman Glenn Poshard takes the helm of a revamped board after previous members were accused of using their influence to steer construction contracts to their allies. Poshard speaks with Chicago Public Radio's Steve Edwards.
link to audio Lion Attack at Lincoln Park Zoo
9.18.04
Keepers at Chicago's Lincoln Park Zoo recount the incident in which one or more lions attacked their colleague, Nancy Di Fiesta, as she did maintenance work in an outdoor enclosure. Chicago Public Radio's Diantha Parker has more.
link to audio Chicago Immigrant Orchestra
9.17.04
Musician, composer, and bandleader Willy Schwarz has always been fascinated by the music of other cultures, and five years ago, he founded a group that combines the sounds of Chicago's own ethnic communities—the Chicago Immigrant Orchestra. Chicago Public Radio's Jenny Lawton reports.

Related Link
Celebrate the 2004 World Music Festival with Chicago Public Radio
link to audio North Shore Debates Housing Law
9.17.04
The Illinois Affordable Housing Planning and Appeal Act requires 49 communities with less than 10-percent affordable housing to build it. Along the North Shore, opponents of the law defend local independence while others advocate building diversity. Chicago Public Radio's Tony Sarabia reports.
link to audio Combat Boots Memorial
9.16.04
A traveling exhibit featuring more than 1000 pairs of combat boots is stopping in Chicago. It's presented by the American Friends Service Committee, and it aims to draw attention to both U.S. military and civilian deaths during the war in Iraq.

Chicago Public Radio's Jason DeRose talks with Michael McConnell and Mark Anderson, who helped organize the exhibit, called Eyes Wide Open. It's at Federal Plaza in downtown Chicago on Thursday, September 16, 2004. Then it continues through September 18 at the Garfield Park Field House—100 North Central Park, Chicago.

Related Link
Eyes Wide Open
link to audio Reform Judaism and Same-Sex Marriage
9.15.04
It's easier to find a Reform rabbi for a same-sex wedding than one who will perform an interfaith ceremony. As Chicago Public Radio's Jason DeRose reports, Reform Judaism's openness to same-sex marriage challenges its stance against interfaith marriage.
link to audio Fawell Flips
9.15.04
Federal prosecutors scored a victory when Scott Fawell, former top aide to former Illinois governor George Ryan, pleaded guilty to mail fraud and agreed to cooperate with authorities. The move could have wide implications for Fawell, for Ryan, and beyond. Chicago Public Radio's political reporter Carlos Hernandez Gomez has more.
link to audio
Haymarket Memorial Artist
9.14.04
Sculptor Mary Brogger meets up with Chicago Public Radio's Steve Shadley to talk about the monument she designed to commemorate the Haymarket Incident of 1886, a violent riot that helped spark a worldwide labor movement.

Mary Brogger's bronze sculpture at the corner of Randolph and Des Plaines streets in Chicago's West Loop. Photo courtesy of the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs.
  Mary Brogger's bronze sculpture at the corner of Randolph and Des Plaines streets in Chicago's West Loop.  Photo courtesy of the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs.
link to audio Wilson Yard Plan Divides Uptown
9.9.04
Forty-Sixth Ward alderman Helen Shiller wants to turn an old CTA yard in Chicago's Uptown neighborhood into a mixed-use development that includes housing for people with limited incomes. But opponents say the neighborhood already has an abundance of housing for lower-income and middle-class residents. Chicago Public Radio's Tony Sarabia reports.
link to audio Five Arrested in Rogers Park “Goonings”
9.9.04
The attacks have usually involved random assaults perpetrated by groups of young people, and they've put Chicago's Rogers Park neighborhood on edge since Summer 2004. Chicago Public Radio's Ben Calhoun has more.
link to audio CPS Reform Plan Ambitious and Controversial
9.7.04
The Chicago Public Schools Renaissance 2010 plan would close 60 underperforming schools, and many of the 100 new schools that would open in their place would be small charter and contract schools. Chicago Public Radio's Jay Field reports.
link to audio 2004 Election Coverage: Sluggish Job Market Hurting Bush
9.2.04
The battleground state of Michigan has one of the nation's highest unemployment rates. A visit to a strongly Republican county in southwest Michigan suggests that President Bush will have a hard time convincing voters that the economy is back on track. Chicago Public Radio's Jay Field has more.
link to audio 2004 Election Coverage: Phil Crane in Fight for Political Life
9.2.04
Illinois congressman Phil Crane is the longest-serving Republican in the U.S. House. But the Eighth District representative is fighting for his political life against newcomer Melissa Bean. chicago Public Radio's political reporter Carlos Hernandez Gomez reports.
link to audio 2004 Election Coverage: Illinois Youth to Protest at Republican National Convention
8.27.04
Hundreds of young people from all over Illinois are heading to the Republican National Convention in New York to participate in a week of gatherings and demonstrations. Chicago Public Radio's Jenny Lawton reports.
link to audio East Chicago to Hold New Mayoral Primary
8.26.04
Citing evidence of vote fraud, the Indiana supreme court has upheld an order for East Chicago to redo its 2003 mayoral primary. And that's just one of many political corruption scandals swirling through the city. Chicago Public Radio's Ben Calhoun reports.
link to audio Oak Park Residents Fighting for Village's Character
8.25.04
A number of residents of west-suburban Oak Park say the town's push for more multi-family housing is chipping away at the village's character. And they say officials don't seem to be listening to their concerns. Chicago Public Radio's Tony Sarabia has more.
link to audio Pilsen Community Remembers Victims of Violence
8.20.04
Chicago's Pilsen neighborhood builds community through an anti-violence march. Chicago Public Radio's Diantha Parker reports.
link to audio Rare Buddhist Relics Visit Chicago Area
8.18.04
The relics are part of a North American tour leading up to the opening of a new Buddhist shrine in northern India. One of the stops was in west-suburban Cicero, and Chicago Public Radio's religion reporter Jason DeRose was there.

Related Link:
Maitreya Project
link to audio
 
  Illinois Republican senate candidate Alan Keyes waves to the crowd during Chicago's Bud Billiken Parade Saturday, August 14, 2004. Photo by Melisa Goh.
2004 Election Coverage: Alan Keyes on the Campaign Trail
8.16.04
We check in on the Illinois Republican U.S. senate candidate during his campaign swing through Chicago and the western suburbs, as he tries to show voters that he's a credible alternative to Democratic state senator Barack Obama. Chicago Public Radio's Jay Field reports.
link to audio 2004 Election Coverage: Alan Keyes's Neighborhood
8.12.04
As Illinois's new Republican senate candidate kicks off his campaign, Chicago Public Radio's Ben Calhoun pays a visit to a group of Illinois voters that Keyes may get to know—his new neigbors.
link to audio Greek Chicagoans Intent on 2004 Olympics
8.12.04
As the second largest Hellenic population in the U.S., Greek Chicagoans will be paying close attention to events in Athens. Chicago Public Radio's Jay Field reports.
link to audio 2004 Election Coverage: Alan Keyes Says Yes to Illinois Republicans
8.9.04
The conservative activist and former UN ambassador faces Democrat Barack Obama in the contest for Illinois's open U.S. senate seat. And Keyes's arrival not only changes the dynamics of the race, but has implications for the state GOP as well. Chicago Public Radio's political reporter Carlos Hernandez Gomez has more.
link to audio Chicago Teachers Union Vote Upheld
8.6.04
Ending weeks of very public CTU in-fighting, the American Federation of Teachers upheld the union's June 2004 presidential election results, in which special education teacher Marilyn Stewart defeated incumbent Deborah Lynch. Chicago Public Radio's Jay Field reports.
link to audio Illinois Republicans Want Keyes to Run
8.5.04
After being rebuffed by a number of potentially credible U.S. senate candidates within the state, the Illinois GOP has gone to Maryland to press former ambassador, onetime U.S. presidential candidate, and conservative activist Alan Keyes into service. Chicago Public Radio's political reporter Carlos Hernandez Gomez has this profile.
link to audio Hindu Temple in Bartlett, Illinois
8.4.04
Originally broadcast on the 8.1.04 edition of Hello Beautiful!
About 20 minutes west of O'Hare airport stands one of the most elaborate Hindu temples outside of India. Contributor Monique Parsons takes us inside.

A 16-day festival commemorating the temple's inauguration takes place through August 17, 2004. The official dedication ceremony is August 8.
link to audio Jays vs. Lay's
8.3.04
In July 2004 the Frito-Lay Company ran ads claiming that in taste tests, Chicagoans preferred Lay's potato chips to Jays. So Jays Foods, a Chicago snacking institution, struck back with a federal lawsuit. And Texas-based Frito-Lay settled. Chicago Public Radio's Diantha Parker has the story.
link to audio 2004 Election Coverage: Illinois Voters React to Obama Speech
7.28.04
Illinois state senator and U.S. senate hopeful Barack Obama has quickly ascended to the national stage. But before his keynote address to the Democratic National Convention, many Illinois voters didn't know that much about him. Chicago Public Radio's Jay Field watched Obama's speech with a small group at the Billy Goat Tavern in downtown Chicago.
link to audio 2004 Election Coverage: Judy Baar Topinka Reacts to Obama Speech
7.28.04
The chair of the Illinois Republican Party joined Chicago Public Radio's Carlos Hernandez Gomez in our studios to watch U.S. senate candidate Barack Obama's keynote address to the Democratic National Convention.
link to audio Archdiocese Argues Against Illinois Sex Abuse Law
7.27.04
The 2003 law gives alleged victims of sex abuse more time to bring civil lawsuits. But lawyers for the Chicago archdiocese and a religious order are arguing in court that the law can't be used against their clients. Chicago Public Radio's Jason DeRose has more.
link to audio 2004 Election Coverage: Kerry Courts Voters with Military Background
7.26.04
In recent U.S. presidential elections, veterans, enlisted military personnel, and their families have tended to vote Republican. But Democrats hope John Kerry's military experience will help convince some of those voters to switch sides. Chicago Public Radio's Jay Field reports.
link to audio Same-Sex Marriage Case in Indiana
7.26.04
A lawsuit before the Indiana appeals court is similar to those that prompted a landmark ruling in Massachusetts. Chicago Public Radio's Melba Lara has more.
link to audio 9/11 Commission Report Hits Chicago Bookshelves
7.22.04
Many Chicago-area bookstores are stocking the 9/11 Commission report.  Chicago Public Radio's Jason DeRose has this audio postcard from one bookstore on the city's north side.
link to audio A Model Charter School
7.19.04
originally broadcast 7.19.04 on Eight Forty-Eight
Chicago Public Radio's Catrin Einhorn takes us to Noble Street Charter High School on the city's near west side. Chicago Public School officials consider it a model charter school—the kind of school they hope to reproduce throughout the city.
link to audio The History and Politics of Millennium Park
7.16.04
originally broadcast 7.16.04 on Eight Forty-Eight
Chicago Public Radio's Tony Sarabia reports on the people and the politics behind the planning and completion of Chicago's Millennium Park.

Listen to more Chicago Public Radio stories about Millennium Park >>
link to audio

Commission Issues Scathing Report on Deadly Loop Fire
7.8.04
After seven months and the testimony of nearly 50 witnesses, the commission investigating the October 2003 fire at the Cook County Administration Building in downtown Chicago lays much of the blame for the six deaths on the Chicago Fire Department. Chicago Public Radio's Carlos Hernandez Gomez has more.

link to audio Related Audio
originally broadcast 7.8.04 on Eight Forty-Eight
Report on Deadly Loop Fire

link to audio The Private Lives of Politicians
6.29.04
When Illinois Republican, Jack Ryan, ended his bid for the U.S. Senate, he blamed the media for digging too deeply into his personal life. But experts say we live in an era when the private lives of politicians are increasingly fair game. Chicago Public Radio's Melba Lara prepared this report.
link to audio Working toward a Prosperous and Peaceful Iraq
6.28.04
We hear from a Chicago man whose family fled Iraq in the 1970s as part of a mass exodus of Assyrian Christians. After the U.S. invaded Iraq in 2003, he became a translator for the American forces, returning to his homeland for the first time in 30 years. He spoke with Chicago Public Radio's Diantha Parker.
In this segment, we also take our microphones to the streets to ask other Chicagoans how they felt about the U.S. handover of power to an interim Iraqi government.
link to audio Majestic Midway Theater
6.25.04
The communities around Midway Airport on Chicago's southwest side have never had the professional theater landscape that dominates the city's north and, to a lesser extent, south sides. But that could be changing. Chicago Public Radio's Tony Sarabia reports.
link to audio

Crossing California
6.25.04
Adam Langer's novel, Crossing California, begins in the waning months of 1979 against a backdrop of terrorism, a poor economy, and high fuel prices. It tells the story of three families in the Rogers Park neighborhood on Chicago's far north side. Chicago Public Radio's Jason DeRose has more.

link to audio Related Audio
originally broadcast 6.15.04 on Eight Forty-Eight
An extended conversation between Adam Langer and Jason DeRose

link to audio How to Use Zoning Reforms and Influence Neighborhoods
6.24.04
It's a pivotal time for Chicago's urban look, as the city prepares to implement its first zoning reforms since 1957. Chicago Public Radio's Catrin Einhorn reports on how residents and aldermen can use the rules to influence their neighborhoods.
link to audio Mental Health Courts, Part One
6.22.04
In Spring 2004 Cook County began operating its first mental health court, offering a small group of nonviolent offenders who suffer from mental illness monitored treatment instead of jail time. Chicago Public Radio's Jay Field has more.
link to audio Jack Ryan's Divorce Papers Unsealed
6.22.04
The Republican Illinois U.S. Senate candidate fought in court for months to keep records of his divorce from actress Jeri Lynn Ryan private, but a Los Angeles judge ruled most of the documents should be made public. Chicago Public Radio's political reporter Carlos Hernandez Gomez has the story.
link to audio Proposed Mosque Divides Orland Park
6.21.04
The Orland Park Village Board is expected to approve the proposal, which has ignited a fierce controversy among residents of the southwest suburb. Chicago Public Radio's Lynette Kalsnes reports.
link to audio One-Year Anniversary of Congress Hotel Strike
6.15.04
Housekeeping staff, bellmen, restaurant workers, and others have been on strike at the downtown Chicago hotel, and the picket line could continue for some time. Chicago Public Radio's Tony Sarabia has more.
link to audio Lock-up Closures Anger Neighborhood Residents
6.11.04
The Chicago Police Department's recent closure of seven lockups has neighborhood residents worried that they'll lose their entire neighborhood police station. Chicago Public Radio's Diantha Parker reports.
link to audio Tentative Agreement for Morton Grove Mosque
6.10.04
After six months of federal mediation, a Muslim group may finally build a mosque in northwest suburban Morton Grove. Chicago Public Radio's religion reporter Jason DeRose has more.
link to audio
  Hooters Air starts passenger service from Gary/Chicago International Airport.
Hooters Air starts passenger service from Gary/Chicago International Airport.
Hooters Air Begins Flying out of Gary
6.10.04
Hooters Air has begun passenger service from northwest Indiana's Gary/Chicago International Airport, whose officials say it's a more viable solution to the area's congested skies than building a brand-new airport in Chicago's south suburban Peotone. Chicago Public Radio's Melba Lara has the story.
link to audio This Old, Stuffed House
6.7.04
Chicago Public Radio's Lisa Labuz tells us the story of a Chicago couple that bought their first home...and got a whole lot more than they bargained for.
link to audio CAN TV Faces Funding Cuts
6.7.04
Supporters of Chicago's public access cable channel say the station could lose up to 40-percent of its funding, meaning fewer opportunities for city residents to produce their own TV programs. Chicago Public Radio's Tony Sarabia has more.
link to audio More School Funding Worries in Thornton
6.2.04
Thornton Township High School District 205 in Chicago's south suburbs has already laid off teachers and cut athletics, and officials worry that an Illinois law capping property taxes could drain the district's coffers even further. Chicago Public Radio's Jay Field has been following the story.
link to audio Chicago Revamps Hired Truck Program
6.2.04
After revelations of favoritism and waste in its hired truck program, the City of Chicago has overhauled its policies. But some say the revamped program is squeezing out smaller truckers. Chicago Public Radio's Diantha Parker has the story.
link to audio Chicago Catholics Clash over Rainbow Sashes
5.28.04
Those who plan to wear the sashes to Sunday services say they show that gay and lesbian Catholics worship alongside everyone else each week. But Francis Cardinal George is asking all priests to deny communion to sash-wearing parishioners. Chicago Public Radio's religion reporter Jason DeRose has more.
link to audio Metra Safety
5.26.04
An 11-year-old boy has died, reportedly while trying to outrun a Metra train. It's another in a series of deaths caused by Metra accidents that has transportation officials worried. Chicago Public Radio's Melba Lara has the story.
link to audio Gurnee Residents Brace for Floods
5.25.04
The Des Plaines River is expected to crest at almost 13 feet in far north suburban Gurnee. Chicago Public Radio's Tony Sarabia visited the town as residents from surrounding communities chipped in to help hold back the floodwaters.
link to audio CTA Experiments with New Seating Arrangements
5.21.04
The Chicago Transit Authority is testing two cars with so-called "side-facing" seats, which it says are roomier and more comfortable. Chicago Public Radio's Diantha Parker took a ride and prepared this report.
link to audio Chicago Archdiocese Begins Internal Clergy Sex Abuse Trial
5.21.04
The proceeding doesn't replace a secular criminal trial, but it's how the church carries out religious justice. Chicago Public Radio's Jason DeRose explains the marked difference between church and civil trials.
link to audio Bill Would Legalize Organ Transplants for Some HIV-Positive Patients
5.20.04
The measure awaiting Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich's signature would legalize transplants between HIV-positive donors and HIV-positive recipients suffering from liver disease. Chicago Public Radio's Jay Field has more.
link to audio Controversy over Naming a Chicago Park
5.12.04
The dispute stems from a suggestion by a Chicago Park District historian to name a new, pocket-sized park for Lucy Ella Gonzales Parsons, a 19th-century labor, civil, and women's rights activist. Chicago Public Radio's Diantha Parker reports.
(The park district board voted to name the park for Parsons.)
link to audio 2004 Election Coverage: Indiana Primary - GOP Governor's Race
5.3.04
Indiana has not had a Republican governor since 1989, and two Republicans are vying for the chance to take on incumbent Democrat Joe Kernan in the 2004 election. Chicago Public Radio's Melba Lara reports.
link to audio Gary, Indiana, Residents Threaten to Secede
4.26.04
Homeowners in one Gary neighborhood are talking about breaking away from the city if they don't get some relief on their property tax bills, which have skyrocketed as much as 300%. Chicago Public Radio's Tony Sarabia reports.
This report also aired during Eight Forty-Eight
link to audio Losing Interest in Chicago's Local School Councils
4.21.04
Chicago’s local school council elections were held this week…with the lowest number of candidates running since the LSCs were created 15 years ago. The lack of interest is partly because many parents, school reform advocates, and Chicago Public Schools officials are frustrated with the way the system is working. Chicago Public Radio’s Diantha Parker reports
link to audio Same-Sex Marriage in Illinois
4.20.04
When President George Bush announced in February his support for a federal constitional amendment banning same sex marriage, both supporters and opponents of same sex marriage said tinkering with the U.S. Constitution is a bad idea. Here in Illinois, there are four proposals to amendment the constitution ... but it remains unclear if voters will get the chance to decide the issue in November. Chicago Public Radio's Tony Sarabia reports.
link to audio Sin: A Cardinal Deposed
3.29.04
Is any sin so terrible it can't be forgiven? Daily clergy sex abuse headlines out of Boston led playwright Michael Murphy to ask that question. So instead of reading The Da Vinci Code while on vacation last summer, Murphy read legal documents related to two civil sex abuse law suits. He turned those depositions into the new play Sin: A Cardinal Deposed. The play is currently at The Bailiwick Theater in Chicago. Chicago Public Radio's Jason DeRose reports.
link to audio 2004 Election Coverage: The Political Comeback—Mel Reynolds
3.12.04
also broadcast as part of Eight Forty-Eight's Campaign Notebook
When it comes to the political comeback, the road is often filled with obstacles. Chicago Public Radio's Tony Sarabia has the story of one former Illinois politician who's hoping to reclaim his seat in Congress after stepping down almost a decade ago.
link to audio 2004 Election Coverage: Money vs Organizational Support in Illinois Senate Campaigns
3.11.04
Several candidates for Illinois's U.S. Senate seat are spending record amounts of their own money on their campaigns. Others are relying on party or grassroots support to get their names before the voters. Chicago Public Radio's Carlos Hernandez Gomez looks at the roles of money and organization in this year's senate primary.
link to audio 2004 Election Coverage: The Undecided Vote
3.10.04
Recent polls have found there is still a large group of Illinois voters who haven't decided yet who they'll back in the upcoming primary election. Chicago Public Radio's Sylvia Ewing talked with some of these committed but cautious voters.
link to audio 2004 Election Coverage: Education Referenda
3.9.04
With Illinois facing an education funding crisis, school districts are asking voters for help. This month's primary ballot features a near-record number of school-funding referenda. Many are grassroots campaigns that seek to increase education dollars through property tax hikes. Historically, such initiatives have been a difficult sell in Illinois. But that's not deterring parents, teachers and students, who say the measures are the only way to prevent layoffs, school closures and the elimination of activities like athletics and the arts. Chicago Public Radio's Jay Field reports.
link to audio 2004 Election Coverage: Image Consultants
3.8.04
Every election season candidates spend millions of dollars on advertising, campaign consultants, and media coaches. Thousands of people work to create images of candidates... with the hopes of winning more voters. As part of our election series... we're taking a look at how candidates create and manage their political images. Chicago Public Radio's Ben Calhoun reports.
link to audio 2004 Election Coverage: Campaign Promises
3.5.04
With just under two weeks to go until the Illinois primaries, candidates are renewing their campaign pledges. But can they be trusted? Chicago Public Radio's Dan Blumberg has this look at politicians' track record of keeping promises.
link to audio Choosing Residents for CHA's New Mixed Income Communities
3.5.04
The Chicago Housing Authority is about half-way through its 1.5 billion dollar plan to change the nature of public housing in the city. This year, developers will build more than 1-thousand apartments, including 300 in communities where poor people and those with higher incomes are intended to live together. The city's been touting those mixed income sites as the highlight of what's called the "Plan for Transformation." But some say few public housing residents will qualify to live in them. Chicago Public Radio's Catrin Einhorn reports.
link to audio 2004 Election Coverage: Getting Young Voters to the Polls
3.3.04
People from ages 18 to 24 have been the least likely to turn out on election day. As part of Chicago Public Radio's Election series, Jenny Lawton reports that while youth activism in on the rise, it's still not getting them out to vote on election day.
link to audio 2004 Election Coverage: Campaign for Young Voters
3.3.04
Numerous groups are working to tell young people they can make a difference if they register and vote. There's also an initiative aimed helping candidates better understand the very demographic that many say is the least likely to cast a ballot. Chicago Public Radio's Tony Sarabia has more.
link to audio 2004 Election Coverage: Voter Behavior
3.2.04
While some people wouldn't think of missing an election, others have a long list of reasons why they do not vote in primaries. As part of Chicago Public Radio's series on the Illinois Primary Election, Eight Forty-Eight producer Adriene Hill has this look at why people vote and why they don't.
link to audio 2004 Election Coverage: Political Ads
2.26.04
It's becoming increasingly hard to tell one candidate from another...at least in their 30 second radio and television commercials. Chicago Public Radio's Jason DeRose reports on political advertising from the midst of the cacophany.
link to audio 2004 Election Coverage: The Environmentalists' Vote
2.25.04
Environmental activists are eyeing the soon-to-be-open U.S. senate seat in Illinois. While polls show voters care deeply about the environment, the issue is barely on the candidates' radar. Chicago Public Radio's Melba Lara has more.
link to audio Aging Out of Foster Care
2.25.04
A new study says teens on the brink of leaving foster care may not be equipped to face young adulthood on their own. Chicago Public Radio's Jay Field reports on the study and how one young man coped when he left foster care in Illinois.
link to audio School Drop Out Regulations
2.25.04
Chicago Public School officials are expected to change the district's dropout policy less than a month after approving the original regulations. Chicago Public Radio's Ben Calhoun reports.
link to audio 2004 Election Coverage: Illinois Campaign Finance Laws
2.24.04
It's well-known that Illinois has some of the most lenient campiagn finance laws in the country. As Chicago Public Radio's Diantha Parker reports, the political atmosphere that has made Illinois famous has real consequences for its political process.
link to audio Cook County Administration Building Fire Testimony
2.10.04
Security guards testified yesterday before a county commission
investigating the blaze at the Cook County Administration Building. Chicago Public Radio's Jay Field reports.
link to audio Democratic Senatorial Debate Recap
2.5.04
The seven Illinois Democrats eyeing the U.S. Senate seat soon to be vacated by Republican Peter Fitzgerald squared off in a debate last night. The forum was sponsored by Chicago Public Radio, Illinois Public Radio and the Arlington Heights Daily Herald. Chicago Public Radio's Political Reporter Carlos Hernandez Gomez has more.
link to audio Republican Senatorial Debate Recap
2.4.04
Six of the eight Illinois Republicans vying to replace outgoing U.S. Senator Peter Fitzgerald squared off in a statewide debate last night. The event was sponsored by Chicago Public Radio, Illinois Public Radio and the Daily Herald. Chicago Public Radio's Political Reporter Carlos Hernandez Gomez has this recap.
link to audio Gutierrez Endorsement
1.22.04
Chicago Public Radio's Tony Sarabia reports on Latino politics and one congressman's decision not to endorse Illinois' only latino candidate for U.S. Senate.
link to audio Dumeisi
1.14.04
The editor of a small Arabic language newspaper in Chicago's south suburbs was convicted of spying on Iraqi dissidents living in the US. Chicago Public Radio's Diantha Parker reports.
link to audio Candy
1.14.04
Chicago Public Radio's Tony Sarabia talks with area experts about the pending fate of Fannie Mae Candies.
link to audio Espree
1.9.04
A look at a new local publication. Chicago Public Radio's Tony Sarabia reports.
link to audio Gary, Indiana, Proposes Tri-State Bike Trail
1.8.04
The city of Gary, Indiana is planning a green belt that would amount to one of the most complete and modern bike trail systems in the Great Lakes region. Chicago Public Radio's Steve Shadley reports.
link to audio Carol Moseley Braun
1.5.04
Former U-S Senator from Illinois Carol Moseley Braun is facing stiff competition in her bid for the presidency. Chicago Public Radio's Jenny Lawton reports.
link to audio Campaign Notebook: Gery Chico
1.5.04
Gery Chico — Democrat candidate for the US Senate Attorney, former president of the Chicago Board of Education
   

 

 

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